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Safety and Driver Assistance Rating:

The Forte performed well in its crash tests, and active safety technology is optional in its mid-level trim, but entry-level models don’t even have a standard backup camera. The hatchback has not been tested by either crash agency and lacks some available active safety technology.

What’s New for 2018?

The 2018 Forte sedan matched the 2017 model’s impressive ratings and retained its Top Safety Pick+ designation from IIHS. Neither agency has released its ratings for a Forte5. The Forte has seen some changes to its safety equipment availability this year: cruise control is now standard in base LX models equipped with the available automatic transmission, and the top EX trim level now comes standard with rear cross-traffic alert and blind-spot monitoring.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Test Results

2018 Kia Forte

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Test Results

2018 Kia Forte

2017 Kia Forte / Forte5

Crash Test Results

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the nonprofit, independent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) evaluate vehicles for crashworthiness in the United States. NHTSA assigns cars an overall rating out of five stars. IIHS uses a different set of tests, grades cars on a scale of Good to Poor, and awards the vehicles that perform best across its tests with Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ honors, the latter of which requires that the subject’s automated forward-collision-braking system performs well.

NHTSA classifies the Forte and the Forte5 as separate vehicles for the purposes of crash testing. However, it has only tested the sedan, which earned NHTSA’s highest five-star rating. IIHS was also impressed by the Forte sedan; it earned Good marks in all the crash tests that were performed and was named a Top Safety Pick+ for 2017. The Forte isn’t the only small car that aced its tests, though. The Mazda 3, Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, and Toyota Corolla all earned Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ accolades from IIHS.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Test Results

2017 Kia Forte

2017 Kia Forte5

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Test Results

2017 Kia Forte

Airbags, Child Seats, and Spare Tire Location

The Forte’s two sets of child-seat LATCH anchors are mounted deep in the outboard seat cushions, and owners may need to fish around for a while before locating them. A tire-inflator kit is standard and is stowed under the cargo floor.

Active Safety Features

Automated emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane-departure warning are available in the sedan’s S and EX trims for 2017, but none of those technologies are available to Forte5 buyers.